LIMA, OH (WLIO) - If you travel down Michael Avenue in Lima, you might see a house covered with red tape. That tape represents bullet marks -- as the house has been shot at in a total of three separate occasions.
"A year ago, the side of my house got shot up, we were actually home when that happened," said Dawn Ehora, the owner of the home. "Less than a month ago, I was actually in my room asleep, and that's when it sounded like someone knocked on my window, or on the side of my house or something, and I jumped up. The third incident happened last Thursday. I was not home because of the second incident. But I had stopped in to check on my house about eight or eight-thirty in the morning, and I noticed I had more bullet holes in my house."
An investigation is still underway by the Lima Police Department to find Ehora answers on who has been shooting her property. Ehora says that right now she is seeking anything to help her understand the acts of violence towards her.
Situations like Ehora's is on the mind of Lima leaders and the NAACP Lima Chapter. A press conference was held in order to address acts of violence that have been in the headlines in the Lima community.
"No one deserves this. I don’t think we can do better if we do not challenge ourselves to be better. This is not the answer," said Ron Fails, NAACP Lima Chapter President.
Fails hopes that this call to action will result in less violent outbursts in the city, and could lead to helpful conversations on how to create a safer environment.
Lima City Councilman Jamie Dixon and Derry Glenn also spoke at the press conference, urging those who would turn to violence to seek other avenues to solve problems, such as seeking mediation centers, calling hotlines, and more.
"It is unjust in our community. It is unsafe for our community. And it is unwarranted in our community. We don’t want it just to happen in this neighborhood, we don’t want it to happen in the Lima community at all," said Dixon.
"We all need to come together and continue to work on this," said Glenn. "All organizations to come together and working on different things to continue to battle this out. Because we are not going to let this sleep."
The NAACP has set up a hotline for people to reach out for help -- and they hope that the hotline will also be used to help avoid violent confrontations. The hotline number is 419-516-1122.
Councilman Derry Glenn is also taking donations or any type of help to help out the Ehora family. Glenn can be contacted at 419-905-9572.
